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The term "vitreous surgery" encompasses a wide range of limbal and pars plana microsurgical procedures in addition to removal of the vitreous. Among these are lensectomy (or lentectomy), removal of secondary pupillary membranes, and management of complicated retinal detachments to name just a few. Although modern vitrectomy has existed for less than a decade, it has become an established mode of treatment of a large number of ocular conditions, including many that were previously considered inoperable and blinding disorders.
Vitreous surgery is one of the most interesting and technically demanding subspecialties in ophthalmology. Dr Michels has succeeded in authoring a beautifully illustrated and carefully written textbook that will be a landmark in ophthalmic surgery. The volume consists of eight chapters. The first chapter reviews embryology, anatomy, biochemistry, and the pathophysiology of the vitreous. The second and third chapters describe the historic developments and instrumentation required for vitreous surgery. The core